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TRANSPLANTER. No. 411,225. Patented Sept. 17, 1889.

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J. W. HARRIS. TRANSPLANTBR. No. 411,225.

A WITNESQES:

INV dcfwma() o@ ATTORNE UNITED STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

JACOB v2K. NISSLEY, JACOB S. MUMMA, AND JACOB IIOSTETTER, OF FLORIN, PENNSYLVANIA, AND JOSHUA NV. HARRIS, OF STAUNTON, VIRGINIA.

TRAN S PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 411,225, dated September 17, 1889.`

Application filed february 23, 1889. Serial No. 300,972. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JACOB K. NISSLEY, J Aeon S. MUMMA, and JACOB Hos'rEfrTEE, of Florin, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, and JOSHUA v I.' HARRIS, of Staunton, in the county et Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Transplanters, of which the following is a speciiication.

The invention consists in an improved transplanter, being an improvement on the invention for which Letters PatentNo. 340,211 were obtained April 20, 1886, and the new and improved transplanter will he hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referringito the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved transplanter. Fig. 2 is a side View showing the single operatinglever depressed and the shovels thereby opened and the coverers or hoes closed. Fig. is a perspective View taken from the other side; and Fig. is a sectional view on line r Fig. 2.

The saine letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A indicates the casing of the transplanter,which is provided at its upper end with the sta tionary handle A for the left hand of the operator. To the lower end of the casing A are hinged, opposite to each other, the shovels or planters B B, having near their upper ends the extensions B to the outer ends of which are hinged the lower ends of the connectingaods O O. The upper end ot' the lefthand connecting-r0d O is pivoted to the free end of the left arinD of a short crank'rod D, which passes through bearings at the upper end of casing A, as shown, while the other end of the said shaft has a bifurcated or V- shaped arm D2, to the free end of the lower part of which the upper end of the right-hand counecting-rod O is bolted.

E 'E indicate the hoes or coverers, which are hinged to the lower end of the casing A,

at which point are bolted to the lower end of.

the casing reenforcing metal plates o. @,which serve the important function of greatly strengthening the lower end of the casing at the point where the hinges c c are bolted to it. The hoes have cranlbarms E', to the free ends of which are hinged the lower ends of `connecting-rods F F, the upper end of the connecting-rods being pivoted to the free ends of the arms G and G2 of a shorterank-rod G, which passes through bearings at the upper end of the casing A, as shown. To the eX- tended free end of the arm G2 is secured one end of a coil-spring lI, the lower end of which is affixed to the casing A, this spring operating to normally draw the arms G G2 down and hold the coverers or hoes open.

Inside of the casing A is secured a tube or feeder I, the upper end or mouth-piece Il of which ilares out to both sides, as shown, so that it can be fed either by the operator or by a second person on the other side of the transplanter.

Upon the right-hand end ot the rod G, between the side of the easing A and the arm G2, is pivotally mounted the single operatinghandle J. The lower end ot this handle, below its pivotal point, extends under the free end of the upper arm of the V-shaped arm D2, while upon this lower end of the lever is formed an outwardly-projecting lugJ ,which extends out under the arm G2, as shown. A coil-spring K, connected to the arm D2 and the side of the easing, serves to draw the arms D and D2 down, and normally7 hold the shovels or planters closed.

To the side of the casing A is bolted by its lower end a spring catch or lock L, which at its upper extremity bears against the lower end ot' the operatinghandle J, while the upper part of the spring is curved outin a halfeircle at Il', as shown.

To the lower end of the casing A, at one corner thereof, is bolted a plunger-rod M, pret'- erably shed with metal at its point.

In operation, the lower end of rod M is plunged into the ground, and serves to steady the transplanter in operation. The tobacco plant being placed in the tube Iand the closed point of the shovels being thrust into the ground, the operator, holding the handle A in his left hand, pushes down the operating` lever or handle J with his right hand. As the lower end of the operating-handle extends under the upper half of the Vshaped arm D2,

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it Will be seen that when the handle is pressed down the arms D and D2 of the rod D will be raised, thus through the connecting-rods C C opening or separating the hinged shovels B B, and dropping the plant in the opening thus made. A moment after the shovels begin to open the lug J, coming in contact with the arm G2, Will raise the arms G and G2 of the rod G, and thus through the connectingrods F F press the eoverers or hoes E E in toward each other, pressing the earth in irmly above the root of the plant. As the operating-handle is thus depressed, a st-op o preventing its being thrown down too far, the free end of the loWer arm of the V-shaped arm D2, Which is` rounded on its upper side, forces the upper end of the spring-catch L out until the end of the arm passes above the shoulder L2, formed by the curved upper end of the spring, When it 'is held by the said shoulder, andthe lever is thus looked in its depressed position and the transplanter is lifted out of the ground in this position. Inside of the shovels B B are bolted by their upper ends to the inner side ofthe lower end of the casing A, spring guard-arms N N, as shown in the sectional View Fig. 4 of the drawings, which, it will be seen, Will prevent the earth from falling in on the heart of the plant, holding the plant erect as the machine is being lifted, this being an important feature of our invention.

The transplanter being lifted out of the ground with the operating-lever locked in its depressed position, as above described, the operator raises the handle J, when the lower end of the handle will push out the upper end of spring-lock L until the shoulder L2 is free from the end of the arm D2, when the coiled spring Will restore the parts to their normal position, closing the shovels and opening the coverers or hoes ready for the neXt plant.

It Will be seen that the invention is simple and strong in construction, and rapid and very efficient in its operation.

Having thus described ourinvention, what We clai'1n,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is+

l. The combination, with the casing and the feed-tube, of the'hinged shovels, the

hinged coverers, the conn ecting-rods, the rods having the crank-armsrand the single operating-lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In a transplanter, the combination, With the casing and the hinged shovels, of the spring guard-arms, arranged substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, With the casing and the4 feedtube, of the hinged shovels, the hinged coverers, the connecting-rods, the rods having the crank-arms, t-he coil-springs, the

single operating-handle, and the spring-cateh substantially as set forth. I

'JACOB K. NISS'LEY.Y JACOB S. MUMMA.v JACOB HOSTE'lTER. JOSHUA W. HARRIS. Witnesses:

MARTIN S. BoWMAN, EPHRAIM S. BAKER. 

